Episode 251: Spinning 'round

 

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 251 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast.

Full show notes with photos can be found on my website. Click here.

 

This week's segments included:

 

• Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
• On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins
• From the Armchair
• Crafty Adventures
• Knitting in Passing
• KAL News
• Events
• Contest, News & Notes
• Life in Focus
• Ask Me Anything
• On a Happy Note
• Quote of the Week

 

Shout out to Ultimate Insider Patrons: Aggie, Alexis, Alicia, Beth, Erica, Haidi, Kristina, Rachel, Rachel and Steph

 

Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

 

Grammy's 2nd Jean Marie Shawl

• Pattern: Jean Marie by Jennifer Lassonde ($6 knitting pattern available on Ravelry & LoveCrafts).
• Needles: US 9 (5.5 mm)
• Yarn: Plymouth Yarn DK Merino Superwash in Black, Light Gray and White (2 skeins each)
• Ravelry Project Page

 

Own Two Feet Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn: Cloudborn Fibers Merino Superwash Sock Twist Tiny Stripe in the Own Two Feet Colorway
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• 56 stitches. Cuff Down.
• About the yarn: 2 round stripes of plum, lavender, brown and gray

 

On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins

 

Musselburgh Hat

 

• Pattern: Musselburgh by Ysolda Teague ($7.77 US/ 6 GBP knitting pattern available on Ravelry or on Ysolda's website)
• Yarn: fingering weight yarn from stash in a denim blue (can't find the ballband)
• Needles: US 2 (2.75) circular- 32 in (magic loop for beginning & end of project & US 2 (also called US 2.5) 3.0 mm 16-inch circular for the body of the hat
• Ravelry Project Page
• Size: Adult Medium
• Plan: Switch colors half way through. I have a lighter blue skein from On the Round that I purchased at Wicked Good Yarns in Rockland, MA that I want to use to make it a reversible hat.

 

Ninja Turtle Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn: Qing Fibre Dashing Fingering Yarn in the Ninja Turtle Colorway
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page
• 56 stitches. Cuff Down.
• Laura chose this yarn when we were shopping at Loop London in the Fall of 2022.
• About the yarn: it is the brightest, most neon yellow/green.
• Progress: Sock #1 is most of the way through the foot.

 

Carmen Socks

• Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry )
• Yarn: Gusto Wool Carmen Sock Weight Yarn (80/20 Merino/Nylon) in Colorway 1402
• Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• Ravelry Project Page

 

Cloudy + Rainbows Spinning Project

• Fiber: 4oz braid of BFL from Frabjous Fibers in the Rainy Day Rainbows Colorway
• Description- long stretches of light gray punctuated with shorter blips of rainbow colors
• Twist direction: singles = Z plied = S
• This means when I'm spinning, my wheel is spinning clockwise and when plying my wheel is moving counter-clockwise.
• I bought a new poly drive band for my Kromski Minstrel from Spinning Bunny on Etsy that I heard about on a Kromski Spinning Wheel Owners message board on Ravelry.
• Finished spinning all 4 ounces. I would like to ply with other gray fiber.

 

Wild Air Farm Fiber

• Fiber: 3.9 ounces of Shetland & Pygora from Wild Air Farm. Tag indicates "Melody & Cadence" which I presume are the animal names. 1 bump in green, 1 bump in blue
• Ravelry Project Page
• Twist direction: singles = Z plied = S
• This means when I'm spinning, my wheel is spinning clockwise and when plying my wheel is moving counter-clockwise.

 

From the Armchair

 

• Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.
• The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.
• The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.
• Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. Bookshop Affiliate Link. Amazon Affiliate Link.

 

Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.

 

Crafty Adventures

• I finally got around to hanging up items to create a collage wall in the Down Cellar Studio.

 

Knitting in Passing

• While knitting on my Musselburgh Hat at Oisin's show, the women behind me asked me at Intermission what I was making because she's a "big knitter." I explained about the hat and what a sensation the pattern was. It was nice chatting with her.

 

KAL News

 

• The Annual Splash Pad Party is ON for this summer. Save the dates for virtual kick off events Friday & Saturday May 26-27th
• Call for sponsors going out soon. Sign up for my email newsletter & check the box for getting Sponsor emails if you want to be the first to know about available sponsor spots. 
• Participant sign-ups will start in May.

 

Events

• Saturday April 1 from 10a-3p: The Yarn Seller's 10th Annual Fiber Marketplace in York, Maine. Click here for details.
• Saturday April 22 from 10a-5p Gore Place Annual Sheepshearing Festival in Waltham, MA. Click here for details.
• Connecticut Sheep & Wool: April 29, 2023 at the North Haven Fairgrounds.
• Maryland Sheep & Wool: May 6 & 7th at the Howard County Fairgrounds
• Mom & I are planning to attend
• NH Sheep & Wool: May 13 & 14 in Deerfield, NH
• Massachusetts Sheep & Wool: May 27 & 28th at the Cummington Fairgrounds
• Vermont Sheep & Wool: Sept 30 & Oct 1 at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds
• Check out some West Coast (US) Events on the Seattle Knitters Guild site (thanks Kristen- kips206)

 

Contest, News & Notes

• I will have a new shawl pattern ready for test knitters soon. I think I will run the test on Ravelry because it's what I know and is easiest and life is still a little challenging for me right now, so thank you for giving me a little grace.

 

Life in Focus

 

Tune in for my update on 23 in 2023.

• Any tips for brands/types of fake eyelashes to try?
• Skiing didn't happen this year. Sigh.
• I'm making good progress of reading, going to musicals, sending cards and going to the movies!

 

I celebrated the 11 year anniversary of the Podcast with a quick look back at Episode 1!

 

 

On a Happy Note

• Follow-up after Mom's recent scans show things look good. She & Dad headed off to Florida for vacation.
• Dan & I helped Dad replace their broken TV and we had a nice dinner together.
• My cousin Susan's annual St. Patrick's Day Party with birthday cake for my cousin Christopher whose baby I met for the first time that day and a Bailey's toast to my dear Aunt Florence.
• Picked up Riley and Millie to go meet Mom & Trish for mani pedis before Mom & Dad headed to Florida on Vacation.
• Seeing Oisin play Shrek in Shrek Jr. at his Middle School.
• Girls Game Night at my cousin Joanie's house
• Going back to Zumba before my old gym closes.
• I had my annual mammogram and thought there was cause for concern but ultrasound proved everything is normal! PSA: Get those boobies checked!! It's important.

 

Quote of the Week

 

I realized I was as happy as I’d ever been in my life. It was the happiness of the right-before, when everything is potential and no branch on the tree of possibility has yet been closed off by action.

–Dawn Drzal

 

Thank you for tuning in!

 

Contact Information:

• Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon!
• Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group
• Instagram: BostonJen1
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• Knit Picks Affiliate Link
• Bookshop Affiliate Link
• Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link
• Music -"Soft Orange Glow" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/
• Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.